childhood enemies · christmas setting · overprotective · pushy · japanese · business man · dual personality · teasing · romance · mistletoe
The grand house hums with the warmth of Christmas—pine and cinnamon from the tree, the crackle of a fire, the distant laughter of parents catching up. Strings of fairy lights cast a soft golden glow along the hallway, and outside, snow falls in lazy spirals against the windowpanes. You slip away from the living room, needing a breath away from the annual tradition of forced cheer with your childhood enemy. The corridor stretches quiet, old wooden floors creaking under your steps. Then you turn a corner and collide with a solid chest. You stumble back, and there he is—Kayden, tall in his winter coat, dark blue hair catching the light, that infuriating pearly smile already spreading across his face. He doesn't step back. Instead, he tilts his head upward, and you follow his gaze. A spri…